Ink-distributer.



No. emma. Pmntd my 9, wol'. Y

J. s. mKmLEY.

INK DISTHIBU'I'EH.A

(Applicatipn led Nov. 80, 1900..)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES vPATENT OEEICE.

JOSEPH S. MCKINLEY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD JOOS, GEORGE W. HANDMAN,

SAME PLACE.

AND WILLIAM VVEHRMAN, OF

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 678,019, dated July 9, 190].

Application iiled'NOvember 30, 1900. Serial No. 38,243. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. MOKINLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ink-Distributers for Lithographing-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a laterallyreciprocating spreading roll primarily adapted to a lithographie press. In presses of this class it has been found im-` possible to employ the laterally-moving roll of an ordinary printing-press. In lithographie printing it is essential that the spreading of the ink be very uniform, or else the print will be streaky and spoil the work. It is also absolutely essential that the Vdirection of motion shall not be reversed while the platen and stone are moving either forward or backward. The reversal of the revolution of the laterallymoving spreadingroll must take place at the end of the platen movement. It is also very desirable to readily lift out the spreading-roll during the operation for the purpose of removing foreign substances. It is also desirable to have the spreading-roll free to move upward under the action of the platen and stone. This free upward movement is also desired in the bottom or main' inking-rolls.

The-features of my invention will be more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a sectional View showing in diagram the various parts of a lithographie press.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the inking-rolls.-

lithographie press or printing-press, and Iy have shown sufficient parts to illustrate the method of attaching my invention thereto.

A represents the pitman that reeiproeates Ede bed B by means of a stationary rack-bar A', fixed to the bed of the press, and a rack-bar 2, lixed to the under side of the platen. A ear A3 is journaled on the end of the pitman- 'shaft engaging said rack-bars.

Upon the bed B is placed the lithographie stone.

C represents the inking bed or plate at the lleft of the stone. i

D represents a pair of ordinary ink-feeding rollers delivering ink on the inking-plate C.

E represents a series of ink-spreading rolls erally-moving spreading-rolls G. On theV guideway of the platen-carriage is mounted a rack-bar a, its operating position being shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, inside of the main frame b of the press. The lower rolls are revolved by their contact with the inking-plate and then by their contact with the stone, being free to move up and down.

In order 4that the spreading-rolls may be positively revolved while they are moving laterally, I provide the following devices: s represents journal-brackets attached to the side frame, in the upper ends of which are half-journals f', in which the ends of the spreading-rolls journal. As the roll rests by gravity in its said journal, it is free to be raised from position or to yield upwardly to compensate for any inequalities passed between the rolls. Of course various means for carrying out this idea might be employed, such as making the journals whole and the brackets free to rise in guides or other mechanical expedients for making the spreading-rolls float over the inkingrolls free to rise. c represents gears journaled on a studshaft journaled in the said journal-brackets s and meshing with the teeth of rack-bar a. d represents gears feathered to engage with a spline e on the shaft of the laterally-moving spreading rolls. It will be seen that the spreading-roll and its gear ol may be readily raised and dropped back again into position. In order that these spreading-rolls G may be moved positively in a given lateral direction,

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At each end of the Worm m is a boss h. This Worm is in engagement with a segmental fork or Worm-driver I, which is sustained by stem upon the supporting-bracket, as shown in Fig. 4. j represents a spring coiled upon the stem for cushioning its movements, serving as a follower to preserve the engagement of the Worm-driver. The opposite end of said roller Gis shown Witha shaft extension,upon which is splined the driving-gear d, through which this shaft slides as it is moved laterally by the Worm driving-gear I-I I. It is essential that, as hereinafter explained, the lateral movement of the roll shall terminate at the end of the pitman-stroke and that the reverse motion shall take place in unison therewith. In order that this may be accomplished automatically, I provide the following features: At each end of the Worm are shoulders 7t,abrupt at one end and tapering at the other end Z. The bosses 7L also form an annular shoulder limiting the lateral travel of the spreading-roll in either direction. The Worm on the spreading-roll is preferably so proportioned relative to the bed travel that the bed and spreading-roll normally reach the ends of their travel simultaneously. It is evident that any raising of the spreadingroll, stoppin g its lateral travel, ends this relative proportion,nltimatelycausing the spreading-roll to reach one end of its travel first. I have invented a compensating mechanism to regulate these parts (bed and spreading-roll) to proper time movements again Whenever their relative arrangement is thus disturbed. Thus when the spreading-roll is raised and upon being again engaged reaches its end of travel first it will revolve idly until the bed has reached the end of its travel, when thel same mechanism automatically causes the travel of the spreading-roll to be reversed simultaneously with the initial reverse travel of the bed. Thus the relative uniform movements of the bed and spreading-roll are automatically preserved and require no attent-ion from the operator. I-Ie may raise the spreading-roll at any time required and drop it at Will, knowing that the parts will again automatically assume the proper time movements.

The inking-rollers, being of composition matter, are somewhat soft. The spreadingrolls, being of steel and heavy,weigh uponthe inking-ro'lls. Therefore whenever the press is idle the steel spreading-rollers Would compress the inking-rollers out of shape. To obviate this, means are provided for lifting the inking-rolls from the stone and the spreading-rolls from the inkiug-rolls. The inkingrolls and the spreading-rolls are frequently raised in unison-for instance, to remove-from from the rolls any paper or foreign matter which may accidentally have become attached to the rollers, or, again, to prevent too heavy inking at a given time. The paper operated upon may be thick or thin, or a single piece may vary, and also foreign inequalities are sometimes present. These inequalities are all provided for, the inkingrolls being free to rise from the form, carrying with them the spreading-rolls, or the spreading-rolls being. free. to rise from the inkingrolls independently. It the relative travel of the bed and spreading-roll laterally has been disturbed, so that the spreading-roll begins one end of its travel While the bed is at a position intermediate of its extreme ends, the pressure of the spreading-rolls on the soft inking-rolls causes a shading. This result is entirely obviated by my invention. The spreading-roll never begins its lateral travel in either direction, except at the initial ends of the bed travel in either direction.

In order to understand the operation of the roll in practice, let it be assumed that the spreading-roll G has been raised for some purpose While the bed is still traveling, as frequently happens in practice, causing the roll G to reach one end of its lateral travel prior to the time in which the bed has reached one end of its travel. The roll will revolve idly, the cam lo engaging and riding over the yoke I until the bed has reached the end of its travel, and the reverse travel of the bed immediately imparts a reverse lateral movement of the spreading-roll. When the roll G has thus reached its end movement before the bed has reached its end movement, the cam 7c in its revolution constantly deiiects the yoke I. It is obvious that if this driver Were not a yielding member, but stationary, the revolution of the roll bringing the camshonlder 7c' to bear against it would either throw the roll completely out of gear or break the supports. The driver I being swiveled also allows it to accommodate itself to the `taper of the worm whenever it is engaged as Well as when engagement is made from the idle position riding on the cam r-to the Working position in t-he threads of the Worm.

To illustrate the specific manner in which the roll is made to turn idly when reaching the end ot' its movement before the bed reaches the end of its travel, assume that, looking at Fig. 4, the spreading-roll G has reached the end of its travel on which letters cc a: appear before the bed has reached the end of its travel. The continued revolution of the roll G, due tothe continued movement of the bed in the same direction, will bring vthe inclined portion Z of the cam-shoulder 7o (see Fig. 6) into engagement with the Wormdriver I, and as this cam is brought to bear it depresses the Worm driver I until the lshoulder 7c has passed over the same, when ythe driver I slightly rises again and again Iencounters the tapering edge Z of the cam.

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IZO

the reverse direction of the roll G will throw` the abrupt shoulder 7c of the cam against the worm-driver I and move the worm-driver into the threads of the worm for the reverse movement of the spreading-roll G.

It will be observed that the inking-rolls F are shown as driven in a given direction by their contact with the platen and stone. In case the frictional contact of the spreadingroll G with the inking-rolls F should not be sufficient to secure a positive revolution of more than one of the spreading-rolls when a series are em ployed,the driving-gears are provided. Two vof the rolls G, as seen in Fig. 2, are provided with the driving-gears. The central one is driven slightlyby its contact with theinking-rolls F. Each one of these spreading rolls G must be freeto rise and fall and be readily lifted 0E of the inking-rolls. accomplish this, the worm-driver Iis of segment form, and the opposite end of the roll may be supported in a half-journal or rest upon the rolls, as desiredl By this construction it will be seen that the spreading-*roll may be disengaged momentarily and reengaged at any position alongthe worm and obtain the requisite direction of travel, and if the worm-driver reaches the end of the A worm before the direction of the platen is reversed it continues to revolve Without lateral movement until the platen action is reversed, preventing a reversal of lateral movement during the travel of the bedin a given direction. If this should occur, the print would be streaky or not of uniform color, and the reversing during the act of making the impressioncause unequal pressure and wear of the loWerinking-rolls and frequently obliterate the work or drawing on the stone. The prevention of reversal during the act of printing is exceedingly important, as the printing ofv different colors has to be performed with great delicacy and niceness.

I believe I am the iirst to secure positively the reversal of lateral travel of the spreading-rolls at the end of the bed 4travel only and also allowing the engagement of the worm with the Worm-driver at any point of the stone and bed travel.

Having described my invention, I claim* l. In a device of the class described, in combination with an inking-roll, a spreading-roll journaled above the same, means for rotating said spreading-roll, mechanism adapted to reciprocate said spreading-roll and to yield. vertically to inequalities Without being discon-l nected, and means for positively reversing the lateral travel of the 'spreading-roll at the initial ends of the platen travel, substantially as specified.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a traveling bed, an inkingroll driven thereby,a spreading-roll journaled above said inking-roll,means for rotating said spreading-roll, mechanism for laterally reciprocating said spreading-roll, and means at each end of the spreading-roll for automatically connecting and disconnecting said mechanism whereby the travel of the spreadingtravel of the bed, substantially as specified.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a traveling bed `of an inking-roll driven thereby, a spreading-roll journaled above the inking-roll, means for positively rotating said spreading-roll,mechanism actuated by the spreading-roll for reciprocating said roll laterally, the said mechanism being adapted to yield vertically, and means for automatically connecting and disconnecting said mechanism at the ends of the lateral movements of the spreading-roll, whereby the travel of the spreading-roll is reversed simultaneously with the initial reverse travel of the bed, substantially as specified.

5. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination with a traveling bed of an inkin g-roll driven thereby, a spreading-roll journaled above said roll, means for rotating said spreading-roll,positively, a Worm-driver on the frame, a Worm formed on the spreadingroll, and means formed on each end of ysaid Worm adapted to be engaged by the Wormdriver` causing the roll to revolve without lateral movement whenever it reaches the end of its travel before the end of the bed travel and to automatically rengage at the end of the bed travel, substantially as specified.

6. In a lithographing-press, in combination with the inking-rolls,`a journal attached to the side frame, a verticallyyielding `yokedriver attached to the side frame, a floating spreading-roll, one end of which engages saidv journal, a Worm-shaft formed on said-'roll adapted to rest upon said yoke Worm-driver,

and means for positively rotating the said spreading-roll, substantially as specified.

7. In a lithographing-press, in combination with the inking-rolls, a journal attached to the side frame, a spring-controlled Wormdriver attached to the sideframe, a spreading-roll supported in said journal and adapted to yield vertically, a worm-shaft formed on said spreading-roll resting upon the said Wor-mdriver and adapted to be operatedl IOO IIO

thereby, and means for rotating the said gear I positively whereby the spreading-roll is laterally reciprocated and free to rise from its journal-supports and drop backinto engagement with the gear and worm connections, substantially as specified.

8. In a lithographing=press, in combination with the inking-rolls, a journal-bracket at- 1 tached to the side frame, a spreading-roll, one

end of which rests in the said journal, means for reciprocating the said spreading-roll, the said means being adapted to yield vertically Without disconnecting, a rack secured to the journal-bed, a gear journaled on said bracket engaging said rack, and a gear feathered and splined on the spreading-roll shaft engaging ghe first-named gear, substantially as speci- 9. In a lithographingepress, in combination with the inking-rolls, a floating spreadingroll journaled above the inking-rolls, a Worm at one end of the spreading -roll shaft, a spring-controlled Worm-driver supported on the side frame upon which the Worm of the spreading roll shaft yieldingly rests, and

means for rotating said spreading-roll, substantially as specified.

10. In a lithographing-press, in combinacally, a Worm on the spreading-roll engaging the worm-d river, a rack on the traveling bed, a gear journaled on the journal-'bracket engaging said rack, and a gear feathered and splined on the spreading-roll shaft, and engaging the irst-named gear, whereby the said spreading-roll is positively' rotated and reciprocated laterally, but is free to rise from its journals and drop back into engagement with said gear and rack connections, substantially as specified.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination Withva traveling bed of an inkingrolldriven thereby, a spreading-roll journaled above the inking-roll, means for positively rotating said spreading-roll, a Worm-driver on the machine-frame, a Worm on the spreading-roll, vand a earn at each end ot' the Worm adapted to insure the reciprocation of the spreading-roll at the ends of the bed travel, substantially as specified.

12. Ina device of the class described, the

combination with a bed of an inking-roll driven thereby, a spreading-roll journaled above the inking-roll, means for positively rotating the spreading-roll, a Worm on the spreading roll, a spring controlled Wormdriver adapted to have vertically-yielding engagement and disengagement with said Worm, substantially as specified.

13. In a device of the class described, the Combination with a traveling bed, of an inkin g-rolldriven thereby, a spreading-roll journaled above the inking-roll, means for positively rotating the spreading-roll, a Worm on the spreading-roll, a spring-controlled wormdriver swiveled on the machine-frame and adapted to have yielding engagement and disengagement With said spreading-roll, substantially as specified.

14. In a device ot' the class described, the combination of a traveling bed, an inkingroll driven thereby,a spreading-roll journaled above said inking-roll, means for rotating said spreading-roll positively, a Worm on the end of said spreading-roll, a spring-controlled Worm-driver mounted on the machine-frame adapted to have vertically-yielding engagement and disengagement with said Worm, and a cam formed at each end of the Worm adapted to arrest thelateral travel of the spreadingroll at intermediate points of the bed travel, and to automatically rengage said reciprocating mechanism at the ends ot' the bed travel, substantially as speciied.

l5. In a device of the class described, in combination with an inking-roll, a spreadingroll, a Worm-driver, a Worm on the spreading-roll, a cam at the end of the worin-threads having an inclined shoulder adapted to engage the Worm-driver when the roll is traveling toward said end, and an abrupt shoulder adapted to engage the driver when the roll is rotated in the opposite direction to throw the Worm-driver and Worm-threads into rengagement for the reverse travel of the roll, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH S. MCKINLEY.

Witnesses:

OLIVER B. KAISER, PEARL MCMICHAEL. 

